Venue for Australian PGA makes no difference to players, says Peter O'Malley

PGA board member Peter O'Malley is adamant players will contest the Australia PGA, regardless of the venue in 2013, in a rebuke of Clive Palmer's rallying hint for a boycott if Coolum loses hosting rights.

O'Malley, both a top touring pro and a player's voice on the PGA board, made it clear that a tournament with over a century of pulling power would yet again survive a switch of courses.

"It's the Australian PGA championship. A lot of the guys will play and make it a quality field no matter where we put it," O'Malley said after shooting a three-under-par 69 yesterday to finish tied 21st in the last stand at Coolum.

Make no mistake. The PGA is moving in 2013. It will be staged on the Gold Coast.

Utilising the Sanctuary Cove precinct is the top option because it can help replicate the relaxed village square vibe so integral to the decade of success at Coolum that ended late yesterday.

Both Links Hope Island and The Pines, at nearby Sanctuary Cove, are on a short list of alternatives to be discussed by the board of the PGA of Australasia on Wednesday before a final decision is made early next year.Both hosted tour events in the 1990s.

"We just want to go wherever we can get a good golf course. The players will turn up when we get a good golf course," O'Malley said.

"Coolum has been a fanastic venue and we haven't decided if we are coming back here or not.

"We haven't got any contracts signed or anything. There's still a long way to go before we can make a decision."

O'Malley said the antics of flamboyant resort owner-cum-dinosaur handler Clive Palmer had not been a distraction to the field.

"I don't think so. It wasn't as bad as what we initially thought so I think the tournament has gone off really well," he said.

"There were a few dramas early in the week but we've mediated those quite well."

PGA of Australasia chief executive Brian Thorburn revealed there had been expressions of interest to host the 2013 Australia PGA from more than half a dozen Queensland courses, but "probably three alternatives" would be debated at the board meeting.

"The revised offer from Palmer Coolum Resort will be considered by the board," Thorburn said.

"In light of there being a gap in previous offers we have been looking at alternatives."

Thorburn revealed some of the dramatic behind-the-scenes issues to the staging of the tournament with Palmer as a partner for the first time.

"The positive is that Clive Palmer has a passion for golf and wanting to stage events in the future. You never say never, but we have had a rocky road to this PGA event," Thorburn said.

"In one offer we received, it was to play the Australian PGA every two years. There was the signage issue on course and the disconcerting email I received with a photo of two backhoes beside the ninth green a week ago. I didn't know what to make of that."

Sources indicate digging up the 9th green was one crazy reaction when Palmer and PGA officials were at loggerheads just days before the event.

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